just hanging out in Cambridge...

We have been hanging around Cambridge since Carcassonne - some trips to local attractions but nothing too strenuous. J has still not been all that well. Weather is warming up and we have had some lovely sunny days - mornings mostly and rain in the afternoon. Big M and I have started playing Tennis on the way to work. There is a free tennis court next to the bike path. J and little m have also had a bit of hit with us after school.
The long awaited panda jumper has arrived special delivery from Tasmania - it is a big hit and little m has hardly been out of it since! The little flashy badge things and chocolates also went down well, although the badges were a bit of an intelligence test for dad to get them working.

J has been growing his hair and still likes to engage in a bit of body art. Hope he doesnt to decide to cover himself in tattoos later.

There is an old cat over the road with 1 eye and 3 legs that likes to stop and chat, which the kids think is fantastic. They miss 'their' cat from the Eltisley Avenue place, although we do still see her around from time to time. This old ginger cat looks just like Old Tom, a character from a cartoon at home and the kids also have some Old Tom books so they are very pleased to finally meet Old Tom.

Last weekend we all went to the guitar shop. J and I bought the electric guitar to share until we get home to Tas when he will buy a new one...unless he wont let me have the guitar back in which case I might have to get a new one. For those with an interest is a Les Paul style ESP LTD EC-50 with a 15W Roland practice amp. The neighbours are all very happy because we can plug in headphones and they cant hear us practicing (well they cant hear me practicing anyway). Little M fell in love with the 3/4 size steel string acoustic and we had to get that too.


Summer holidays are largely unplanned as yet but we might take the tents to Wales again if weather permits. M is home for the next few weeks but then starts another round of travelling in Europe and US.

Carcassonne

We finally got to go to Carcassonne...it has been on our list of things we wanted to do for a while, but always a bit expensive. It is a world heritage listed site, originally roman, then visigothic, then moorish, then Frankish. Seat of the Cathar heresy and captured during the crusade against the Cathars in 1209. French kings maintained it as a fortified town against spain, but it pretty much got ignored when the border moved to the pyrenees. Extensively restored in the 19th century. Fortunately it wasnt really important after the invention of cannon or there probably wouldnt be so much of it left.

Just the sort of thing we enjoy. Kids dont mind the odd medieval walled town either! J was only just able to get on the plane after a friday visit to the doctor to get antibiotics, but that may have been a mistake as he was sick the whole time we were there. M developed a high temperature just in time to get on the plane back to Cambridge and little M is down with it today! So far I have escaped.

They were desperate to go on the merry go round, we finally relented at the end. There seems to be one of these in every french tourist town.


Little M was very excited when we saw this little fellow on our last adventure...some sort of water rat, about the size of a chihuahua.

If all get over there diseases we might go to legoland sunday/monday.

Snow...at last!

Finally had the winter snow! Didnt look like we were going to get any, but a good solid couple of days of cold snowy weather and it finally started to settle. Kids had a great time.
Thankfully it all cleared up before we headed off to France for the end of term break.